Posted: Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

By Stephen Fowler
Asst. News Editor

Emory College is offering several opportunities to reschedule classes that were cancelled due to inclement weather, according to a Feb. 13 College-wide email sent by Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Joanne Brzinski. The Goizueta Business School is offering a similar option, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the BBA Program Andrea Hershatter said.

Depending on the class’ usual meeting time, one option for College faculty to reschedule class exists for Mondays and Thursdays after 6 p.m. or Fridays after 4 p.m. and one option for a Saturday or Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Brzinski wrote. The email included a spreadsheet of all the time options available.

More specifically, Tuesday/Thursday courses will have the option to reschedule class on Feb. 20, 21, 24 or March 2, and Wednesday classes missed will have the option of Feb. 22, 27, 28 or March 3.

According to Hershatter, an email was sent out that has recommended dates for B-School faculty to reschedule classes, but the specific dates and times selected depend on the preference of each professor.

After B-School students missed class Jan. 28-30, Hershatter and the BBA program suggested that Tuesday/Thursday courses missed should meet at the regularly scheduled class time on Friday Feb. 14, and Wednesday classes missed should meet Saturday Feb. 15, Hershatter said.

Based on administrators’ suggestions, this week’s classes would be made up Feb. 22 from 1-5 p.m. or Feb. 23 from Noon-9 p.m., Feb. 27 or 28 as rooms are available, and March 1 or 2 from Noon-9 p.m.

The College

Brzinski wrote in the email that a uniform schedule would minimize conflicts that could arise from hundreds of faculty independently rescheduling thousands of courses.

“We realize there is no ideal time for rescheduling,” Brzinski said.

Brzinski also said that in cases of conflict with regularly scheduled courses and make-up courses, students should attend the regularly scheduled class.

Preparations are also being made to account for these conflicts, as well as students who cannot attend rescheduled classes due to work, personal or religious matters.

“We will work with instructors to either record the class meeting through class capture software or collect class notes,” Brzinski said. “This will allow you to be responsible for the material covered even when you cannot attend.”

In an email sent to faculty, Brzinski wrote that only those faculty members that feel a need to reschedule class meetings need to participate in rescheduling.

“Many of you have already compensated for the missed days and found alternative ways to cover the course material–adjusting your syllabus, cancelling presentations or guest speakers, holding extended class sessions,” Brzinski said. “We encourage you to continue those efforts.”

Goizueta Business School

Some classes in the B-school have already been rescheduled and met, according to Hershatter.

“Scheduling face-to-face make-up time is not mandated, and some faculty will choose other ways of delivering missed content,” Hershatter wrote in an email to the Wheel. “Faculty may also record make-up classes as all Business School classrooms have video capability.”

Hershatter acknowledged that many student conflicts with rescheduled class times may arise, but wrote it is up to students to make a “good-faith effort” to be present when make-up classes are scheduled, and students will not be penalized for missing make-up sessions.

“There are a number of pre-existing co-curricular events as well as personal and professional conflicts that students may have in and out of town,” Hershatter wrote. “Faculty will therefore consider the content, but not the contact, to be mandatory.”

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Stephen Fowler 16C is the political reporter at Georgia Public Broadcasting, the statewide NPR affiliate in Georgia. He graduated from Emory with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and covered the central administration and Greek Life for the Wheel before serving as assistant news editor, Emory Life editor and the Executive Digital Editor from 2015-16.